Tense comparison
guardar silencio: Present vs Imperative
The present tense describes actions; the imperative commands them. Spanish has distinct imperative forms that differ importantly between affirmative and negative commands.
Use the present to describe what someone does, to ask questions, and to give instructions in written form (recipes, manuals often use the present: "se añade sal" — add salt).
| Pronoun | Present |
|---|---|
| yo | guardo silencio |
| tú | guardas silencio |
| él/ella/Ud. | guarda silencio |
| nosotros | guardamos silencio |
| vosotros | guardáis silencio |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | guardan silencio |
Use the imperative for direct commands and requests. Affirmative tú commands use the third-person present singular. Negative tú commands use the present subjunctive.
| Pronoun | Imperative |
|---|---|
| yo | - |
| tú | guarda silencio |
| él/ella/Ud. | guarde silencio |
| nosotros | guardemos silencio |
| vosotros | guardad silencio |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | guarden silencio |
"Hablas demasiado rápido" (present — you speak too fast, observation) vs "¡Habla más despacio!" (imperative — speak more slowly, command). The imperative tú form of regular -ar verbs equals the third-person present.
Present vs Imperative: common questions
How do I form affirmative tú commands in Spanish?
For most verbs, the affirmative tú imperative is identical to the third-person present singular: habla, come, escribe. There are 8 irregular forms: di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven.
Why does the negative command use a different form?
Negative tú commands use the present subjunctive: "no hables", "no comas", "no escribas". This applies to all verbs including the irregular ones — "no digas", "no hagas", "no vengas".
Can the present tense be used as a command?
Yes — in informal speech, the present tense can soften a command: "¿Me pasas la sal?" (you pass me the salt?) is more polite than "¡Pásame la sal!" It is also common in written instructions.
Practise both tenses with guardar silencio using spaced repetition.